Guineas market shifts as 3yrolds crank up
THE Tangerine Team is not hitting the panic button just yet with deposed 2000 Guineas favourite Sword Of Osman.
But the Te Akau operation will be taking that button to Hastings in three weeks’ time because a repeat performance in the Hawkes Bay Guineas will spell trouble for the group 1 winner.
As Melt was dealing to the boys in the $70,000 Northland Breeders Stakes at Ruakaka on Saturday, her main market rival, Sword Of Osman, was eight lengths away in sixth.
He was not aided by playing the fool in the starting gates.
As expected, rider Shafiq Rusof took a sit on him but even if the gelding did not appreciate those educational tactics he was still disappointing. Consequently he drifted from outright $6 favouritism to $12 for the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 10, indicating not only how subpar he was but the eyecatching runs of placegetters Madison County
and Reevederci.
Melt was all class. There were a few nervous moments when she was forced three back along the inner but when the 3yrolds turned for home the rail opened up and jockey Sam Spratt only had to aim and pull the trigger.
That leaves trainer Nigel Tiley with an array of options. The New Zealand 1000 Guineas is Melt’s main aim, even though she is still in the entries for the 2000 Guineas a week earlier.
But trainer Jamie Richards, who watched Sword Of Osman from his hospital bed after being laid up late last week, is not giving up on the Guineas dream yet.
‘‘He was only fair, for sure. But I think he might be better lefthanded, even though he won a group 1 righthanded last season. So we will take him to Hawkes Bay for the Guineas there [October 6] and maybe try him in front again if the draws work out that way.
‘‘We have some work to do and he can be quite an ignorant horse, as people saw in the barriers, but I think that next start will give us a better indication of where we stand.’’
The 2000 Guineas market is now headed by Madison County at $6, who who made up lengths on Melt in the home straight. He also heads to Hastings next start.
Reevederci, who was brave in third, and is the $10 secondfavourite for the classic, although trainer Lance Noble is not getting carried away just yet.
‘‘He was good and showed us he can run with these horses but Madison County came from a fair away behind us to beat us easily,’’ Noble said.
‘‘But our horse is very much on the way up and if he comes through this week the we will head to Hastings for the Guineas there also. That threeweek gap suits.’’
The 3yrold male crop presents a clouded picture, with even Lincoln Falls leapfrogging into joined third favouritism for Riccarton on the back of an admittedly stunning maiden win on debut at Wood ville on Thursday.
‘‘I think it is one of those crops with emerging horses really starting to come through and maybe a few more yet to put their hands up,’’ Noble said.
‘‘You have a meeting like Taupo this Friday which, if they get a good track, can throw up a couple of smart horses but at least this race proved we are in the Guineas frame.’’
If the colts continue to chop and change you could understand Tiley (Melt) or Richards with Avantage, who returns in the Gold Trail this Saturday, perhaps even considering a crack at the boys in the 2000 Guineas.
But that is not as attractive for a good filly as it used to be, with the 2000 Guineas now on the first day of the New Zealand Cup carnival.
That means an off day against the boys could derail a filly for the supposedly easier target a week later, whereas in the past the 2000 Guineas could be a nice bonus for a 1000 Guineas winner. — NZME